Local voting polls

Editor's note: With municipal and panchayat elections round the corner in Jammu and Kashmir, Firstpost will run a series of ground reports on different aspects of the polls, as well as the state of panchayati raj institutions and how they can empower democracy at the grassroots. The series will also look into the state of security arrangements, as voters and candidates face threats of attacks by militants. Read part , part II, part III and part IV of the series here. *** Baramulla: As the countdown to elections to urban local bodies (ULB) and panchayats begins, the electoral process in the Kashmir Valley is throwing up surprises with each passing day. While some candidates of the BJP have been elected uncontested from municipal committees in south Kashmir, a ‘youth activist’ has plunged into the electoral fray along with two family members in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Baramulla district has two councils, 88 wards … [Read more...] about Jammu and Kashmir local body polls, Part V: Boycott by NC, PDP opens up field for BJP, independents

The Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society Coordination Committee (JKCSCC) on Wednesday called for boycott of the upcoming municipal and local body elections and urged the government employees to abstain from work on the polling days.Reports reaching news gathering agency Global News Service said that JKCSCC leaders including Muzaffar Shah, Advocate Mir Javed, Jagmohan Singh Raina addressed a news conference here in Srinagar and urged people of the state to boycott the upcoming municipal and local body polls to defeat the nefarious designs of RSS and BJP aimed to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.ANC chief Muzaffar Shah said that Jammu and Kashmir is passing through a crucial phase as deliberate attempts are being made to change the demography of the state by settling non-locals in the state. He said BJP and RSS were using every method to seek revocation of Article -35A and Article 370.“So, it is the responsibility of every regional party and individual, irrespective of … [Read more...] about JKCSCC calls for boycott of municipal, local body polls

Vadodara: Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that urban local body and panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be held as per schedule. Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of a BJP party workers' meet, Singh said these polls would give all parties an opportunity to interact with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. File image of Union minister Rajnath Singh. News18 The state's chief electoral officer announced Friday that a four-phase election to urban local bodies from 8 October. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Shaleen Kabra had said on 16 September that panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in nine-phases on a non-party basis beginning 17 November. "Around 58 lakh electorate will be eligible to vote in the 35,096 panchayat constituencies. The notification for the first phase will be issued on 23 October," he had said. Kabra had told reporters here that counting of votes would take place on the same day or the very next day. The two major … [Read more...] about Rajnath Singh says panchayat, urban local body polls in Jammu and Kashmir to be held as per schedule

The first phase of elections to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Karnataka is going to be held on 31 August after being postponed by two days. Elections will also be held to three major city corporations, in Mysuru, Tumakuru and Shivamogga as the Karnataka High Court cleared a case regarding reservation of wards in these constituencies. All the three major political parties in the state ie. the Congress, the JD(S) and the BJP have fielded candidates in the 2,574 wards in 105 local bodies going to the polls. Elections in three ULBs in Kodagu have been postponed owing to heavy rain as voters are still residing in relief camps in the district, The Hindu reported. Representational image. PTI "Polling will be held in 29 municipal corporations, 53 town municipalities and 23 town panchayats across Karnataka," State Election Commissioner (SEC) P Srinivasachari told reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday. The counting of votes for these elections will be done on 1 September. … [Read more...] about Karnataka Urban Local Body Polls: JD(S), Congress pitted against each other; 2,574 wards to witness electoral battle

Alliance partners in Karnataka — the Congress and the JD(S) — are set to contest against each other on Friday during elections to 105 urban local bodies (ULBs). The two parties insist that their decision to contest without an alliance is in view of the larger picture, which involves allowing BJP to secure lesser votes, and keeping their own workers happy. Despite the fact that the Congress and JD(S) are contesting independently, the partnership of the two parties will be facing a litmus test on Friday. Why are the polls important? The civic polls assume significance because they are being held a few months after the Assembly polls. The Congress and the JD(S) were poll rivals during the Assembly polls, held on 12 May and formed a post-poll alliance with the aim to take down the BS Yeddyurappa government. Now that HD Kumaraswamy has completed 100 days in office, the voters who will set out to exercise their franchise on Friday will … [Read more...] about Karnataka urban local body polls: Congress-JD(S) to face litmus test as coalition govt completes 100 days